Vacuum system for refrigerator truck

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a vacuum system for a refrigerator truck, which is capable of continuously driving a vacuum pump even in the state in which a vehicle engine is stopped, and designing the vacuum pump so that it is not visible from the outside. The vacuum system includes a power generator driven by power of a vehicle engine and a cooler and a vacuum pump driven by electricity generated by the power generator so as to cool and maintain the inside of a box in the vacuum state. The vacuum pump is installed on the inside wall of the box, a solar array is provided to the upper surface of the box so as to charge a storage cell, and the vacuum pump and the cooler are connected to the storage cell so as to be driven by receiving electricity from the storage cell 60 when the vehicle engine is stopped.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a vacuum system for a refrigerator truck, and more particularly to a vacuum system for a refrigerator truck, which is capable of continuously driving a vacuum pump for 24 hours a day in order to maintain the inside of a box in an optimum vacuum state when the box is loaded with goods.

2. Description of the Related Art

For the purpose of carrying agricultural products, vegetables, meat, and fish, the freshness of which must be maintained, and goods such as ice and frozen food, which must be maintained in a refrigerated state, refrigerator trucks having refrigeration capability are used. The refrigerator truck generally includes a container-shaped box composed of a left panel, a right panel, an upper panel, a lower panel, and a front panel, which are integrated into a single body so as to form a box shape. The box further includes an end gate provided to the back thereof. The box is configured in a manner such that cold air is supplied to the inside of the box by a refrigerator driven by the engine power of the vehicle.

Such a refrigerator truck has a refrigerating system having a simple function of cooling the inside of the box using a refrigerator. Accordingly, the refrigerator truck has a problem in that cooling efficiency is low, and thus goods loaded in the box deteriorate or decay due to the growth and multiplication of aerobic microbes.

In order to overcome such problems, there have been many efforts to enhance the performance of the refrigerator. However, these problems cannot be solved by the improvement of the performance of the refrigerator. For this reason, a technique of maintaining the inside of the box of the refrigerator truck in the vacuum state using a vacuum pump driven by the engine power of the vehicle has been suggested. This technique can suppress the growth and multiplication of aerobic microbes to the minimum as well as increase the efficiency of cooling the inside of the box.

However, this technique, which maintains the inside of the box in the vacuum state, also has some problems.

For example, the vacuum pump is driven using the engine power of the vehicle. Accordingly, if the engine of the vehicle stops, for example, at night or in a period in which there is no need to drive the vehicle, the vacuum pump also stops. As a result, in the case in which the box is loaded with goods, there is the likelihood that the temperature of the box will rapidly increase and thus conditions inside the box will be such that aerobic microbes rapidly grow and multiply.

Further, because the vacuum pump is installed outside the box, the vacuum pump frequently malfunctions due to foreign matter such as dust, and worsens the appearance of the refrigerator truck.

Accordingly, there have been efforts to develop a vacuum system for a refrigerator truck, which is capable of continuously driving a vacuum pump when the box is loaded with goods, preventing the vacuum pump from malfunctioning by covering the vacuum pump so that it is not exposed to the air, and realizing a design such that a refrigerator truck has a good appearance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention has been made in an effort to solve the aforementioned problems of a vacuum pump installed in a refrigerator truck, and to realize a vacuum system of a refrigerator truck, which is capable of continuously driving a vacuum pump even when the engine of a vehicle is stopped when the box of the refrigerator truck is loaded with goods.

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a vacuum system for a refrigerator truck including a power generator driven by the engine power of a vehicle, a cooler, and a vacuum pump, which are driven by electricity generated by the power generator so as to cool the inside of the box and maintain it in a vacuum state, in which the vacuum pump is installed on the inside wall of the box, a solar array is provided on the upper surface of the box so as to charge a storage cell, and the vacuum pump and the cooler are connected to the storage cell so as to be driven by electricity from the storage cell in the case in which the engine of the vehicle is stopped.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other features and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a view illustrating the appearance of a refrigerator truck to which a vacuum system according to one embodiment of the invention is applied;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view illustrating the vacuum system installed on the refrigerator truck, and

FIG. 3 is a schematic view illustrating the overall structure of the vacuum system for a refrigerator truck according to one embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Embodiments of the invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.

FIG. 1 is a view illustrating the appearance of a refrigerator truck to which a vacuum system according to one embodiment of the invention is applied. FIG. 2 is a sectional view schematically illustrating the overall structure of the vacuum system installed in the refrigerator truck.

With reference to the accompanying drawings, the overall structure of the vacuum system for a refrigerator truck is such that a power generator 30 is driven by the engine power of a vehicle and a vacuum pump 10 and a cooler 90 are driven by electricity generated by the power generator 30, so as to maintain the inside of a box 100 in the vacuum state as well as cool the inside of the box 100.

The vacuum system 10 is installed on the inside wall of the box 100. The box 100 is provided with an air exhaust pipe 12 so as to exhaust air in the box 100 outside of the box 100. Since the vacuum pump 10 is installed in the box 100, the vacuum pump 10 is not visible from the outside, and thus the appearance of the refrigerator truck is good.

The vacuum pump 10 may be installed on any of the inside walls of the box 100, but it is preferable that the vacuum pump 10 be installed at a position where air flow can be caused or where air flows most vigorously, so that it is possible to exhaust as much air out of the box 100 as possible. The cooler 90 is installed in the box 100 and a fan 92 is installed in front of the cooler 90 for facilitating air circulation. Since the largest amount of air flows in front of the fan 90, if the vacuum pump 10 is installed in front of the fan 92, it is possible to maximize the amount of air exhausted by the vacuum pump 10 out of the box 100.

The vacuum pump 10 and the cooler 90 are connected to the battery 20 installed in the vehicle and driven by the battery 20 while the engine is driving. The battery 20 receives electricity generated by the power generator 30 when the engine of the vehicle is operating after the vehicle has been started up, and thus the vacuum pump 10 and the cooler 90 start.

The vacuum pump 10 and the cooler 90 are driven by receiving electricity from the storage cell 60, which stores electricity generated by the solar array 40 disposed on the upper surface of the box 100. If the vehicle engine stops, the power generator 30 also stops. Accordingly, it is impossible to drive the vacuum pump 20 and the cooler 90 using only the battery 20. Accordingly, by constructing the vacuum pump so that it receives electric power from the storage cell 60, the vacuum pump 10 and the cooler 90 can continuously operate, even if the engine is stopped.

The storage cell 60 can be separately installed at a proper position inside or outside the vehicle. The vacuum system is configured so as to automatically detect the operation, start, and stop of the vehicle engine, thereby controlling connection and disconnection between the vehicle engine and the storage cell 60.

FIG. 3 shows the overall structure of a vacuum system for a refrigerator truck according to one embodiment of the invention.

As shown in FIG. 3, the vacuum system for a refrigerator truck according to the invention includes the vacuum pump 10 and the cooler 90, which are connected to the battery 20 which is charged by electric power from the vehicle engine and the storage cell 60, which is charged by electricity generated by the solar array 40.

The electricity generated by the solar array 40 is charged into the storage cell 60 as the voltage is regulated by a regulator 50, which automatically controls the vacuum system as a whole, and excessive electricity is charged into the battery 20. In the similar manner, the electricity generated by the power generator 30 of the vehicle is charged into the battery 20, and excessive electricity is charged into the storage cell 60.

When the power generator 30 stops in response to the stoppage of the engine, the regulator 50 detects the stoppage of the engine, and turns on a switch so that the vacuum pump 10 and the cooler 90 are connected to the storage cell 60. As a result, electricity from the storage cell 60 is supplied to the vacuum pump 10 and the cooler 90.

The regulator 50 is connected to a power supply line 80 connected to an external power source 200. Accordingly, if necessary, the vacuum pump 10 and the cooler 90 can be driven by receiving external power from the external power source 200 via the power supply line 80.

Accordingly, when the vehicle is started up by the above-described system, electricity generated by the power generator 30 is supplied to the vacuum pump 10 and the cooler 90 via the battery 20. On the other hand, when the engine of the vehicle is stopped, electricity is supplied to the vacuum pump 10 and the cooler 90 from both the battery 20 and the storage cell 60. In addition, if it is necessary, the vacuum pump 10 and the cooler 90 can be driven by receiving electric power.

According to the invention, it is possible to continuously drive the vacuum pump even while the engine of a vehicle is stopped, to prevent the vacuum pump from malfunctioning due to foreign matter by disposing the vacuum pump such that it is not exposed, and to design a refrigerator truck so that it has a good appearance.

The above-mentioned embodiment of the present invention has been described for illustrative purposes, and those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims. 

1. A vacuum system for a refrigerator truck, which is capable of cooling and maintaining an inner space of a container, comprising: a power generator driven by power of an engine of a vehicle; a cooler driven by electricity generated by the power generator; and a vacuum pump driven by the electricity generated by the power generator, wherein the vacuum pump is installed on an inside wall of the box, a solar array is provided to an upper surface of the box so as to charge a storage cell, and the vacuum pump and the cooler are connected to the storage cell so as to be driven by receiving electric power from the storage cell if the engine of the vehicle stops.
 2. The vacuum system for a refrigerator truck according to claim 1, wherein the storage cell is connected to a power supply line so as to be charged by an external power source. 